Safe and Sound

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It was a cold night, like any night in December. I was walking late at night, heading to the grocery store. I needed a few more things, and I was missing some to make food for dinner later tonight. The rush of warm air hit my face as I stepped into the lights of the small store. I was headed into the vegetable section in the back. My headphones were blasting some catchy tunes. I didn't hear the screams, I didn't hear any of it. But when someone roughly grabbed me and spun me around, I didn't yell. I should of.

~~~PoV change~~~

“Excuse me? Can I help-” You looked up to a ski masked man. You understood right away. Hands to front of your pocket, you had the police on speed dial, as the man pushed you to the front. The good thing about Bluetooth earbuds was that you can hear them and no one else could, but they can only hear you, so you had to be careful with words. “Hello 9-1-1 what's your emergency.” With a soft voice, you spoke quietly. The man who pushed you was listening to you, thinking you were speaking to him. “Yes, mister sir. Where are you taking me?” The gruff man's voice was loud enough to hear through the headphones, thank God. “To the front. Where all the other hostages were, dumbass.” The officer through your headphones heard the words and began to coach you through the way. “Okay, now miss. We will be able to send dispatchers quickly and quietly as long as you can get to say the location, just don't let him suspect you.”

Your heart was racing, thumping through your chest, the vibrations beating heavily. This was all up to you, the lives of the people who were just aisles away from you. “So, how do you like the store, I mean this one out of all the ones on Snowy Lane and Jacksonville. Why not the bank that's nearby?” The Man huffed, not caring about the location you gave out. “There’s no way we can go there at this hour, not with the high security alert. Stop asking so many questions.” He grabbed your hair, you grimace in pain, but it was worth it. The officer on the line, spoke quickly, hopefully he would get here on time. “Thank you so much Miss, the officers are on their way. Just stay on the line.” The man who had you under his grip, pushed you down with the other hostages. Looking around, you noticed children with their parents huddled up. The kids, squeezing onto their mothers for dear life. It made you feel a surge of heartbreak for the children.

'They don't deserve to die.’ A man in a ski mask spoke in a voice that was basically nails against chalkboard. “Look, what we have here. . . So. . . Who wants to die first?! I'm taking volunteers!” Thoughts raced in your head, threatening to crash out, but one was at the surface, the one you would act upon. You raised your hand, you couldn't be scared. You'll have to save your fears for later. “I'll trade you.” He quirked his head over to you. “Huh?” He most obviously didn't expect that at all. You stood up, looking up at him. “My life, and you let everyone in this store walk free.” He turned around, and laughed. He seriously was laughing. The parents looked up at you, as if you were a literal angel. This wasn't a time to feel scared or to lose him. The cops were surely on their way and the people would be safe hopefully if he took your deal. The man looked at you with a grin. “You know what, sure. I actually like your style. A life for a life, ain't that right?” He shot his gun in the air, causing a few screams and tears in the crowd. The families all shuffled out of there. One mom looked at you and whispered a thanks. As soon as everyone left, you stared the man down. He clicked the safety off the gun, smiled wide and whispered to you. “Astalavista, baby.”

But before the shot rang out, the sirens screeched on. The man groaned and pulled you by the hair, annoyed at the fact that they had came to quick. The speakers yelled out for him to drop his weapon, but he had refused. He yelled that he had a hostage, and then the fight had seriously began. They had talked over and over until the man holding you had been shot by an officer. You didn't stop running as soon as he had fell to the floor. Out the door and into the arms of some families who you had saved just hours before the squabble. They were crying and thanking you. You felt oddly uncomfortable but you could understand where they were coming from. With a small smile, you headed back home to your mother. This was only the first encounter and certainly wouldn't be the last.

When you had arrived home, your mother was worried sick. She cried and hugged you. She said she would never let you go. Then she made sure to keep you safe, she would always watch you and be by your side. Sure it was sweet but oddly suffocating. But she couldn't keep you for long, at one point you got a job. She had fought against it, but you did it anyway. Working at a school with small kids was your dream. You were happy, but nothing lasts forever.

~~~PoV Change~~~

I was walking to school. It was winter, just like that day, a few years ago. But today, it would be different. I had my bag and everything. Being a teacher's assistant was hard work, but I absolutely loved the kids and wouldn't change it for the world. Heading in, the smile on my face wouldn't fade away. I almost slipped down the corridor, but I managed to grabbed onto a locker in time. I pulled the handle open and soon a small swarm of children were huddling around my legs. They were talking all at once, laughing and giggling. Their voices were like little joyful bells, full of happiness and joy. I bent down and began chatting with them, laughing. Oh how I wish these days would last forever. Oh how wrong I was. The teacher, Ms. Selina, ushered the children back to their seats.

“Oh, Miss (y/n). Good thing you're here today. It's Jeremiah's birthday today and he's been waiting after the break has ended for you to show up. We'll have to pass the cupcakes after lunch okay? We still have a lot to teach today.” She said with a smile. I smiled to the kids, today we would learn and later we could celebrate.

~~~PoV Change~~~

It was sometime after lunch when the storm had came in. You were just about to announce to pass out the cupcakes to the students when suddenly the school alarms went off and the school went on emergency shutdown. As soon as the alarms had hit, the kids were screaming. You and Ms. Selina quickly shushed the children, and moved them towards the window. You were on the first floor, and right outside was a flower bed. There were bad people inside the building, and you heard gunshots rang out. Flinching from memories, you pushed them away as you let Ms.Selina exit through the window.

She turned around and begged you to pass the children out. Suddenly there was a shaking doorknob, a man who was trying to break in. You kept passing them out but then the door slammed open. You threw yourself on top of the kids, and pushed them out the window. Two gunshots rang out as you closed the window, the kids were screaming. The sounds of bells rang through your ears. The last thing you said to them, they probably would still be able to remember it forever. “Run, I'll always be there.” You pushed yourself against the man as sirens rang out in the distance. The man ran out as you fell to the ground of the classroom. After a few minutes, everything felt calm, but there was all this noise around you. It started to get bothersome. You just felt heavy and tired. You wanted to wake up, you could feel hands hugging onto you, begging you to stay with them. But you couldn't even speak anymore. The last thing you could feel was the small hands of the children, wiping away the tears of pain that perked at your eyes. Those were the last of those days.

Chapter 1+2 is done! Hope you all enjoy this as much as I do! Remember to request stories!

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